Books and Movies [Heidi; Captains Courageous; and more]

What's Schoolin'?

I realized today while I was previewing (and enjoying!) Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling that we seem to be surrounded right now with books and their respective movies.  These are the pairs that we are currently reading (or soon will be) with the movies already ready to watch:  Heidi, Captains Courageous, Old Man and the Sea, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Man Who Would Be King, and Swiss Family Robinson.  Some are for all ages and some are just for the olders.

~ Heidi by Johanna Spyri ~

Books:  I checked out several versions from the library.  They had the Illustrated Classics version but we chose an unedited version for dd-10 (she had already read a younger version over a year ago).  You can get a free Kindle download of the original book here.  Our library had this Puffin Classic version but she preferred the print of this Illustrated Junior Library version (and so did I!).

Movie:  I borrowed the version with Shirley Temple from my mom (I borrowed a VHS but there is a DVD of this movie available also).  I also checked out this version with Jane Seymour from the library.

Cultural Snapshot:  When I was about 10 living with an aunt for a year in Central America (or was it later when I went back??) I would watch a Heidi cartoon.  This is the opening song.  It has the words below so I'll show it to dc during our Spanish time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViiM3C6l0jY
There are some episodes of this old cartoon version uploaded as well.  Here is part of episode 1 (in Spanish):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG-PZyJuxHg&feature=related

~ Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling ~

Book:  I checked out the LP (large print) version for my eyes :).  The dialogue is tricky, yet it really adds the authentic flavor to this maritime adventure.  I am really enjoying this story so far.  You can get a free Kindle download here.

Movie:  I checked out the movie with Spencer Tracy.  We haven't watched it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

~ Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway ~

Book:  I don't think I ever read Hemingway in high school or college.  I personally really enjoyed this book , probably because of personal experiences (see cultural snapshot below).  It's not very long.  There is one curse word if I remember right so you may want to preview it.  It kind of ruined it a bit for me regarding the dc reading it but we'll go ahead since they are 15 and 17...  I have it ready for an independent study.

Movie:  I found the complete Spencer Tracy movie on youtube here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9XEbAt1RAY&feature=related
[Update:  This is now blocked but I'm leaving the link in case WB unblocks it later]

There are some excerpts here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VHqQ3FyWVU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=nlCPUFx5DUU&feature=endscreen

Animated version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5ih1IRIRxI&feature=related

Cultural Snapshot:  I wrote about this in an earlier post here:
http://eclecticlvng.blogspot.com/2012/04/old-man-and-sea-by-hemingway.html

~ To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ~

Book:  The library had several copies so I checked out a smaller edition and a larger print edition .  I preferred reading the larger print but dds (15 and 17) both liked the smaller book (I have no idea why!).

Movie:  The classic movie with Gregory Peck had a hold on it the first time I tried to get it.  As it turned out my mom had an unwrapped DVD of the movie. We do so much together as a family (especially movies) that it's hard to separate youngest out.  However, she does love to play in her room and understands that some movies aren't for her yet.

~ The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling ~

[Yes, we sort of ended up doing a Kipling unit with younger dd doing some of the Just So Stories and some of The Jungle Book (free Kindle here) while the olders read The Man Who Would Be King (a short story) and Captains Courageous (much more to their liking).  Honestly, I didn't choose very many of the Just So Stories and am still previewing parts of The Jungle Book to see what youngest will read.]

Book:  There is a free Kindle version here. We read this short story in a book entitled The Man Who Would Be King and other stories from Amereon House; however, there are numerous editions, including Dover Thrift and Penguin Classics versions.

Movie:  The library had a DVD of this book starring Sean Connery and Michael Caine.  I have only previewed half of it so far.  I'm wondering how gory it will be but so far it's fine.

~ Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss ~

Book:  We have been using a free Kindle download available here .  Unfortunately, our "routine" bedtime story time is rare this year (and last year) so it's taking us forever to get through our family read-aloud.  On the other hand, the dc are writing some very creative spin-offs from this story.  There is a Great Illustrated Classics version, a Classic Starts version, as well as a Treasury of Illustrated Classics version.  We are reading the original on the Kindle but I have this paperback also on hold at the library.  I'm trying to figure out the difference in author (both Wyss) between our Kindle (public domain) and the other books.

Movie:  The first time I tried to check it out from the library it was already taken, but now I have it on hold ready to pick up this week. Our library has this older version (I prefer older versions) but there are many others available and several have good actors.

I hope that you've enjoyed the book/movie reviews and comments and that it will inspire you in your family reading enjoyment (whether you are a homeschooler or not!).




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